The Hoopty Jeep - 2001 Jeep Wrangler TJ Sport

DominicWilbrink

DominicWilbrink

Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2018
Messages
61
Location
Lansing, MI, USA
Hoopty%20Jeep%20at%20Hickory%20Run%20State%20Forest--X3.jpg


I got this jeep on a title trade for a 1974 Steyer-Puch Pinzgauer 710K. It ran but needed new brakes. The brake job turned into a rear wheel seal replacement, which turned into a rear spider gear replacement. After 3 months in the garage waiting for me to get time to make it road worthy. This is how my jeep exited my garage. Thus begins my build thread...
 
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Didn't even know what a 1974 Steyer-Puch Pinzgauer was until just now! Nice trade though!

That looks like a great canvas to start from if you ask me! Great photo as well! Clearly you're a good photographer.
 
Chris said:
Didn't even know what a 1974 Steyer-Puch Pinzgauer was until just now! Nice trade though!

That looks like a great canvas to start from if you ask me! Great photo as well! Clearly you're a good photographer.
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The Pinz is an amazing ride. It's also completely impractical as anything resembling a daily driver. As to my new ride it has solid bones and can more than handle my 15 minute commute while it is built up with long range trips/remote trips in mind. Thanks for the compliment on the photo, I try.

The Pinz in it's Hay Day:
IMG_5502-X3.jpg
 
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For the time being this is going to be more of a "Refurbish and Restore Project" than a "Build Project".

On that note, last weekend I refurbished the spare tire mount.

Before:
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After:
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I used a gravity fed sand blaster remove most of the surface rust and loose paint (I used baking soda). Then just repainted it. I probably should have primed it but I was in a hurry. Also meant to replace the bolts with stainless steel but that will be a project for another time.

More Before:
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More After:
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Did you consider replacing the entire taillight housing with an LED taillight? That's what I did on mine. Bright as hell too!
 
Started to install Mirror Relocation Brackets from Quadratech... Bolts on the passenger side did not remove with ease. I had to remove them the hard way with left hand drills, tap-outs, and even a cold chisel. A cheap easy out broke off in one the drill holes and the project proceeded to get "real".

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DominicWilbrink said:
Started to install Mirror Relocation Brackets from Quadratech... Bolts on the passenger side did not remove with ease. I had to remove them the hard way with left hand drills, tap-outs, and even a cold chisel. A cheap easy out broke off in one the drill holes and the project proceeded to get "real".

View attachment 56199
Click to expand...

I had to drill one of those bolts out once... talk about a bitch!

I replaced them with stainless steel ones and lots of anti-seize!
 
Today I installed the first of two Recaro seats. I started with the passenger seat so that I learned my lessons on the seat that matters less (if I have to drive it to work the next day and it's not done). There were no adapters so I had to come up with my own garage hack to make it work. The Recaro is larger than the stock seat and there is not enough space between the roll bar and the console to allow the seat to fit all the way back. So I lost a bit of leg room... not an issue for me because I am not freakishly tall. Next weekend the driver's seat will be replaced... I hope.

Recaro%20Seat%20Installed%20in%20Passanger%20Seat-1846-X2.jpg
 
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Y'know... you buy a Jeep, you get a plan together, you buy some parts, and get to work. You think you're doing great things, and are a master and commander of your own ship. Then somebody comes along doing the same thing, but this person has a spreadsheet detailing everything down to historic Dutch vessels that are on the short list of naming possibilities. It's then when you realize you're a bilge rat, and no gentleman at all!

Nice work, good sir! You have my esteem!
 
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DominicWilbrink said:
Had a taillight out this last week, so I replaced all of the lamps in the tail lights with LED lamps. Happy with them thus far.View attachment 55275
View attachment 55276
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Chris said:
Did you consider replacing the entire taillight housing with an LED taillight? That's what I did on mine. Bright as hell too!
Click to expand...
I wasn't even aware you could just replace the stock bulbs with LED...seems like a lot less work and cost than new complete housings. Do LED bulbs only still require a new relay?
 
glwood said:
I wasn't even aware you could just replace the stock bulbs with LED...seems like a lot less work and cost than new complete housings. Do LED bulbs only still require a new relay?
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Yes, they would require a new relay.
 
@Chris I got the Recaros as part of the Pinzguaer build back in 2005. I forget the exact number. It was either $800 for 5 or $800 each. I saved two of them from the Pinz as part of the deal to trade for the Jeep.

@XISophos If I was less of an archivist I might have more time to wrench, wheel, and ride(MTB). I should seek professional help.

@glwood & @Chris This LED set did not require a new relay (at lest that I have noticed). I think I remember reading that they did not require any other changes. Not my field, but I believe that they have built in resistance. Typically LED lights have way less resistance than typical incandescent. The increased "flow" causes the relay to trip/repeat faster accordingly. In another career we had to install incandescent lights in closets on the same circuit those "new fangled LED lights" in restaurants. When the restaurant dimmed the lights they all started flickering... it was lack of resistance thing that was solved by the added resistance of the incandescent lights. I assume that the auto industry went thru the same learning curve. I do know that these were sylvan brand that I got at Auto Zone.
 
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